Royal Oak property values still climbing, mayor says in annual city speech

Mayor highlights improving housing market, services in annual speech

Royal Oak home values are continuing to climb while the city enjoys good public services, a solid financial rating and increasing green initiatives.

That was part of the message Mayor Michael Fournier delivered in a state of the city address this week at the new Eagle Plaza smart park in the downtown.

“Royal Oak had a 7.43% increase in assessed valuation for 2017,” he said.

Major housing projects now under construction include a four-story multiple-family dwelling on 11 Mile, 28 new townhouses on Rochester Road and dozens of single- and multiple-family homes on 10 acres near the former Normandy Oaks golf course, which is being turned into a 40-acre park.

Hundreds of new houses have been built in the city in recent years. The former Northwood Plaza shopping center at 13 Mile and Woodward is being redeveloped with plans for multiple-family dwellings, a major grocery store, new commercial buildings, and a hotel.

Fournier said the civic center proposal under consideration would bring a new city hall, police station, downtown park and a six-story parking deck.

“The civic center plan addresses several community-driven priorities including, better public safety, better delivery of city services, more parking downtown (and) a central park -- attracting office users to the downtown and maintaining a stronger financial position (for the city) through efficiencies and diversification,” he said.

Fournier highlighted the benefits of a privately developed, six-story office building proposed to be built on the parking lot in front of the existing city hall. However, a group of business owners worries the building will create a parking shortage and has filed a lawsuit challenging the development. Fournier said parking in the area will be increased under the proposals.

“The office building could bring more than 700 well-paid jobs to downtown Royal Oak and have an annual economic impact of $234 million and help diversify our tax base and stabilize our downtown,” Fournier said.

Public safety services got high marks from the mayor, who said that NeighborhoodScout, a real estate blog that tracks crime nationwide in cities with populations of 25,000 or more, ranked Royal Oak as a good place to live.

“Royal Oak was the only Michigan community to make the Top 100 list in 2016,” Fournier said.

Recycling, tree and park improvements are part of green efforts the city is undertaking to make life in the city more sustainable, according to the mayor.

Every residential home this month is getting new 65-gallon recycling carts to replace the 18-gallon bins that have been in use for years. Royal Oak, one of 12 cities that belong the South Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority, is part of the regionwide effort that is expected to double recycling rates.

City elected officials recently approved a new program to protect trees and plant new ones in Royal Oak.

“We’re committed to improving our tree canopy,” which covers about the third of the city, the mayor said. “This budget year adds $20,000 to help replace trees removed from the public right-of- way. We have also committed an additional $150,000 from (federal block grants) to fund tree planting.”

More public rain gardens are planned to be funded with a $178,000 grant from the state to absorb stormwater runoff and reduce risks of flooding.

“We are also challenging and requiring private developers to use state-of-the-art technology to minimize runoff, energy use and impact to our environment,” Fournier said.

He reminded residents that city officials have just approved a landscape architect to work with the community to create a park at the former Normandy Oaks golf course. Multiple community engagement efforts are planned to get input from residents on how the new park should be designed.

Other parks in the city have been getting upgrades in the past couple of years. The parks budget took a big hit during budget cuts during the recession.

Recently a 24-foot diameter gazebo at Barton Park was added with block grant funding. At Dondero Park, basketball and tennis court were resurfaced and the baseball infield reconditioned.

Worden Park has seen $300,000 worth of improvement. New playscapes are in place at Wendland and Clawson parks and a new play structure is to be installed this fall at Fulton Park.

“The drought of park investment is over,” Fournier said. “We are turning the corner and now finding the means to invest in play.”